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Verbs to use and not to use

Phrasing Objectives

Objective statements should include a verb that communicates to the learner how to
demonstrate what she or he has learned.

Bloom’s Taxonomy – a Classification of Thinking Skills

Educators want to challenge students’ critical thinking abilities. Bloom’s taxonomy
presents a hierarchy from less to more complex thinking and application skills. The
taxonomy is presented below with sample verbs and critical questions for each level.
The verbs in the different levels provide guidance in creating specific statements
of instructional objectives which target higher levels of curricular applications.

Problems when phrasing objectives

The objective is too broad in scope or includes more than one objective

The student will become aware of the causes and outcomes of the civil war…

Reduce and simplify the objective

The student will hypothesize two causes of the civil and war and propose two alternate
solutions…

2. False Criteria or no criteria

The criteria doesn't let the user know explicitly how well they need to do the behavior

The student will create a PowerPoint outlining the plot of required book.

Make criteria: reasonable, specific, useful

The student will create a PowerPoint outlining the plot of required book scoring
a Proficient or better on the scoring rubric.

3. False Behavior

Describes instruction

To update, reinforce, and provide new information about Navahos dwellings.

Describe how the learner will demonstrate what has been learned

The student will develop plans for and construct a model of a Navaho Hogan using
paper, clay, sticks, and straw …

4. False Condition

Does not describe conditions

The student will know rivers in America.

Detail what can or cannot be used to complete the behavior

Given an outline map of the United States with the major rivers drawn in but not
labeled, the student will write the names of ten major rivers in the US with 100%
accuracy.

5. False Performance

Often simply restating the goal; no true performance stated

The student will understand the principle parts in a research paper.

Be specific as to what you want the learner to do

Each student in the English 118 Composition class will be able to compose a ten-page
research paper containing all five principle parts as defined in class and by their
textbook scoring Proficient or better on the scoring rubric.

The following tired phrases are commonly misunderstood and the participants do not
understand what they are supposed to be able to accomplish or how to demonstrate achievement.

Avoid the following verbs and phrases in writing instructional objectives.